Mouse in Your House? 7 Ways to Get Rid of Mice

Brown Wooden Mouse Trap With Cheese Bait on Top
Photo by Skitterphoto from Pexels

Mice are a common household pest. Whether you find these animals scary or cute, it’s important that you keep them out of your home. Wild mice are known to carry diseases, which they can spread to humans by contaminating surfaces and food. Mice can also cause a lot of damage to your property - chewing through beams, wires and pipes.

There are many different ways in which you can deal with these unwanted visitors. Below are 7 common methods that people use to get rid of mice.

Lay Traps

When most people think of getting rid of mice they think of mouse traps. There are in fact a few different ways to trap mice including:

Laying these traps in the right place could help to get rid of any mice in your property. Such traps may not be suitable if you have young kids or pets (particularly poisons).

Fill Holes and Cracks

Mice typically live outside or in the walls. Sealing up any holes or cracks leading into the interior or your home could stop mice from intruding. Common entry points to consider include cracks in walls, vents, gaps under doors and holes in walls for gas lines. Use caulk or steel wool to block up cracks and holes. When it comes to gaps under doors, consider installing weather bars or thresholds.

Get a Cat Or Dog

You’re less likely to find mice in a house with cats or dogs. Cats in particular are renowned for hunting mice, however the smell of a cat alone can be enough to scare mice away. A lot of dogs will also chase mice away. So if you’ve been thinking of getting a cat or a dog, this could be another good reason to do it.

Repel Them with Scents

There are many scents that are capable of repelling mice. Peppermint, citronella and cinnamon all seem to have effective rodent repelling results. Some people claim that ammonia is also a good deterrent, but studies suggest that this isn’t the case (plus it’s not a smell that is particularly friendly to humans). You can introduce scents to your home using oil diffusers, scented candles or air fresheners.

Repel Them with Noises

Mice tend to enter houses at night when it’s quiet. This is because they are hardwired to associate noise with danger. Consequently, a noisy house is less likely to attract mice. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to play loud music or leave the vacuum cleaner on throughout the night - instead, you can use motion-triggered sounds to scare off mice. Ultrasonic pest repellers are a popular option that emit a loud sound that is too high-pitched for humans to hear but within the hearing range of a mouse. These can be plugged into a socket on a wall or battery operated.

Find Their Source

The best way to deal with a mouse infestation is often to work out where they are coming from and then eliminate the source. Mice tend to not venture too far from their nest, so it’s likely they are nesting somewhere in your house or somewhere directly outside it. If you’re noticing a lot of droppings or shreddings, the nest is likely in your home. Undisturbed places such as attics, basements, garages and crawl spaces are popular places for mice to nest. When it comes to likely outdoor locations around your home, consider dense bushes, woodpiles or sheds. Be wary that if you share walls with a neighbour, the nest could be on their property (ask your neighbour if they’ve been having a problem too).

Call Pest Control

While it’s often cheaper to deal with an infestation yourself, calling a pest control expert is the most effective way to get rid of mice. These professionals know exactly where to lay traps and how to locate nests. In extreme cases where there are lots of mice, a home may need to be fumigated - which is something that only a qualified pest control company can truly door. Look into pest control services in your area and compare reviews.